Lessons
by raleighlane
Summary: Henry gets some sword-fighting lessons (and perhaps picks up a few things about being a pirate) from Captain Hook. Inspired by recent spoiler photos. CaptainCobraSwan.


It has been SO SO long since I've written anything, but I was inspired by some photos of the new season of OUAT. Enjoy!

"Emma?" Killian calls from the living room, "love, we have to go or risk being late."

Emma barrels out of the kitchen, thermos of coffee in one hand, half a bagel in the other. "I'm coming I just…I can't seem to find my cuffs."

Killian taps his fingers on the door frame as he thinks. "Maybe you left them at the station?"

"No," she says, rummaging through mismatched gloves and hats in the hall closet. "I know I had them on me when I left the station Friday, in case I needed to pull a shift over the weekend."

Henry bounds down the stairs at that moment, and heads for the door, his backpack slung crookedly over one shoulder.

"Whoa lad, slow down," Killian chuckles, stepping out of Henry's way. "School doesn't start for," he glances at the watch on his right wrist, "almost an hour. I'm the one with the slave-driving boss that insists that crime fighting must begin at seven o'clock sharp." He winks at Emma as she turns toward them rolling her eyes.

"Yeah kid, what's the rush?"

Henry mumbles something about seeing Violet 'to talk about their literature project' which makes both Emma and Killian smile.

"Alright, you should go," Emma says, "but take an apple for the road. And Killian do you mind heading out with him? I'll be right behind you." She leans up to Killian for a quick kiss as Henry makes a slight gagging sound and goes to grab fruit from the kitchen. Killian's hand slides home into the silky hair at the base of her head as he takes advantage of their moment together to deepen the kiss, sucking gently on her lower lip as she makes a slightly breathy noise.

She breaks away after a moment, steadying herself with her hands against his solid frame. "Ok pirate, this is not the moment for…that." Her words sound stern, but there is a fire kindled in her eyes where just a moment ago there had been only harried concern.

"What kind of pirate would I be if I didn't take full advantage of every opportune moment?" he asks, eyes glinting merrily.

"Hopefully a much-reformed one, Deputy Jones."

"Ah yes," he winks, "as a law-man by day, I now restrain my pillaging and plundering to after-work hours." He runs his hook down the right side of her body from collarbone to hip. "It's a pity, that."

Her eyes light a little further and she opens her mouth to speak, but Henry comes swinging out of the kitchen at that moment, mouth stuffed full of bagel and cream cheese, apple in hand.

"See you at the station, love," Killian says as he opens the storm door and holds it for Henry to walk out ahead of him. "By the way Swan," he says lowly, upon a flash of inspiration, fingers brushing lightly against her wrist where she has her hand propped against the door, "have you searched our bedroom for your quarry?"

Her eyes go wide and her cheeks flush, realization and memory flooding her at the same moment. "Oh…I…no. I haven't. I'll just…yeah okay, I'll see if I can find them and then be along in a minute." That lovely flush is the last thing he sees before the door shuts behind her.

Killian chuckles all the way down the driveway to where Henry is waiting for him at the street, but he sobers when he sees the look of consternation on Henry's face. They walk along in silence for a few minutes, Killian determined not to push Henry to tell him what is bothering him. He doesn't have to wait long before Henry addresses the issue, albeit in a roundabout way.

"Have you and mom and grandpa been busier at the station lately?"

It's kind of an odd question, coming from a teenager, but he figures Henry's building up to what he wants to ask so he'll play along. "Not much more than usual. Most of the new residents seem pretty quiet. The dwarves keep us busy, what with their drinking and quarrelling, but nothing consequential recently, why?"

"Well…I don't know," Henry says, inspecting the apple in his hand before he takes a large bite. He mumbles his next words through a mouthful of fruit. "I just want to be ready."

Killian's brow furrows as he slides his hand into the pocket of his leather jacket and taps his hook along his left leg with each step. "Ready for what, lad?"

Henry takes another bite of apple and looks like maybe he regrets saying anything. Killian just waits patiently, keeping stride with the lanky teenager, mind wondering idly when Henry got to be nearly as tall as him.

"Back in Camelot there were knights always prepared to protect the people of the kingdom." He takes another bite of apple, glancing at Killian. "Violet's from Camelot."

"Aye…that's true."

"I want to be able to protect Vi—the people of Storybrooke," Henry says, with an edge of determination in his voice.

"You do, lad. Your actions, making believers out of the common folk of New York, delivered us from the Land of Untold Stories. And Vi—certain people were there to witness the whole thing. I'd wager that most would agree that you are a superlative hero."

The reminder brings a small, self-satisfied smile to Henry's face as he chews on another bite of apple, but his face soon sobers again. "That's great, but I can't _believe_ my way out of a swordfight."

"A swordfight? With whom do you expect to be crossing swords?" Killian asks in mild alarm.

"No one…exactly, but it would be nice to know _how_ to defend myself and...others if one of the newcomers decided to start some trouble. Grandpa promised to teach me to fight, but we haven't had a lot of time, what with baby Leo and the underworld…"

Guilt grips Killian as a slight, involuntary shudder ripples across his shoulder blades, and not for the first time he wishes that none of his family and friends had sacrificed their happiness, comfort and peace of mind—not to mention very nearly their _souls_ —to rescue him from that horrible place. "I'm sure I wouldn't make as fine a teacher as the prince, but do know a thing or two and if you want I suppose I could…"

" _Excellent_ ," Henry says, cutting him off and tossing the apple core neatly into a sidewalk trashcan. He immediately begins hunting for a stick with which to practice.

Henry's smile is so wide now, and his manner so excited that Killian wonders if he wasn't just duped by the boy into feeling pity so that he would agree to help hone Henry's sword fighting skills. He thinks he must be spending too much time with the lad if Henry is picking up his pirate ways of manipulation, but he can't seem to feel sorry for it, in fact it seems as if the realization has made his heart swell just a little.

They find sticks a ways off the sidewalk at roughly the same time, and Henry immediately falls into a 'ready' stance, his weight pitched forward over his right foot, sword-stick held low across his chest and eyes trained on Killian. Killian _knows_ now that Henry was sand-bagging him, because for all he means to correct Henry's feet and balance, he can't find a single fault with Henry's form.

"I think you know what you're about more than you let on, lad," he says, grinning as he weighs his sword-stick against his hook and then swings it vertically just once to test the balance. "The prince seems to have taught you a few things already."

Henry beams and if there is the slightest hint of sheepishness for his deception in the look he throws Killian, there is no worry, because he knows his mother's true love will forgive him anything. "We may have had time for a few lessons between all the crazy things that happen in this town. En garde!"

Killian gamely raises his sword-stick and charges at Henry in a basic pattern of thrust and slash. Henry parries the offensive maneuvers easily, and then moves forward, advancing slowly to swipe at Killian. Killian smiles broadly at the old pleasure of the fight, a dance his body has known for hundreds of years, and easily blocks Henry's blows, standing his ground, but pivoting in place to parry on all sides. When Henry brings his sword-stick down from on high, Killian catches the wood easily in his hook and twists, pulling the weapon right out of Henry's hands.

"Hey!" Henry exclaims, protesting the break in fighting etiquette. "That's not fair."

Killian just grins. "Pirate!" He chuckles smugly. "We pirates have the advantage over princes." He winks at Henry and allows him to retrieve his sword-stick, swinging his own lazily in his hand.

When Henry is again in position, Killian takes the offensive, this time attacking faster and with slightly less obvious technique. Henry gamely blocks his blows, but it is clear from the way his brow furrows (Killian doesn't fail to notice that his brows draw together in focus the very same way his mother's does) that he is having to concentrate much harder now than before. Just before he is able to move in the last few steps to disarm Henry again, Henry looks up. His face drops a little and his eyes go wide the way they do when he is caught doing something he knows he shouldn't do. He squeaks out an "oh, hey mom," laughing a bit nervously.

Killian remembers in an instant that he should already be at the station, and that his boss (true love or not) is not likely to look favorably on his horsing around when there is work to be done at the station. He turns on instinct to address Emma and sees…nothing. She's not there. Before he can register what has happened, Henry knocks his sword-stick right out of his hand and places his own against Killian's chest.

"Do you yield?" Henry asks triumphantly, grinning from ear to ear.

Killian's hand and hook rise in the universal gesture of surrender. "Aye, I do, you bloody pirate." Henry lowers his weapon to his side, still smiling, and Killian grabs him around the shoulders as they begin walking again.

"Seems as though you know a little more about sword fighting than you let on, lad, but I bet there is still a thing or two I can teach you. We can pick this up after school this evening. I think I may even have a set of practice swords we can use on the _Jolly_."

Henry enthusiastically agrees as they walk in the direction of their responsibilities for the day.

They are a ways down the sidewalk when Emma steps out from behind the corning building where she had an excellent vantage point of the entire exchange. She begins to trail in the wake of her two favorite boys, feeling like her heart has swelled beyond its normal size. Her deputy will be late this morning, but she could hardly fault him. She knew what she was getting into when she hired this pirate after all.


End file.
